Discovering some cool blogs

There are time when all of us stumble on a new blog or are forwarded some by friends...
here are some blogs I've found engaging and a enjoyable reads...

1. Shades of Words - a funny warm blog on all things books, movies, music and travels...this is a very good friend's blog and it inspired to start one of my own...:)
2. Waiter Rant - next time you enter a restaurant, you'll be able to better appreciate or rant about a waiter
3. Domain Maximus - as far as i've read, its a general blog by an IIM alumni on the b-schools, MBA pros and general rants
4. Silverine - yet to come across another hilarious blog that would beat this...it's all real life stories with a touch of humor
5. A Work in Progress - Dani Torres artsy, booksy blog is quite a delightful read..especially on those lazy afternoons
6. Random Jottings of a Book and Opera Lover - Another delightful blog on books and opera

well these are some I could think of posting at the moment...will post more if I find any.

The Marriage Market – Nisha Minhas

I was quite surprised to find a book that actually had the storyline I thought was a dream till that moment. But every bibliophile will surely understand when I say that joyous are those days when you actually find what you've always wanted to read! True to its word, this book had me grinning all the way to the cash counter. :)

Although the book gets quite bold in certain instances, the story is absolutely amusing. In this age of cross-nationality and cross-cultural weddings, this is the story of an American white guy marrying his Indian friend to save her from the facade of an arranged marriage. Aaron, every woman's dream, conquers his deep-seated fear of commitment and inability to be faithful, and marries Jeena, his ex-girlfriend to save her from being exiled to India. Suffice to say, what follows is a mix of hilarious, serious and dark series of events that turn both their worlds upside down as each realize their love for the other. Throw in a few Indian/Punjabi relatives of Jeena, Aaron's clingy ex-flame and what you have is a typical Indian potpourri that will keep you entertained till the end.

I could go on and on if I have to describe the story here, but this is one of those books that get entertaining as you flip through the pages. People exposed to Bollywood movies of late, will definitely relate to the storyline. And you don't even want to start talking on the concept of arranged marriages. An out-and-out entertainer, that will tickle the palate and is better when downed with a hot cup of masala tea and plenty of mirchi bajjis!

Taare Zameen Par

An art movie featuring Aamir Khan, the inspiring teacher who leads by example! I choose to call it an art movie because the Indian mainstream cinema focuses more on entertainment than on real social issues.

The story kicks off with Ishaan Avasti, an 8 year-old kid, having problems concentrating on studies and homework. His specialty seems to lie in studying the mundane happenings in his environment in detail and painting them out in vivid colors expressing his take of the world around him. Now here is a child prodigy if you've known one before. :) His parents however, like most of the parents out there, are concerned about his education and having a better career & future. (Talk about typical thought process!) Anyways, since Ishaan seems to make no progress in public school, he is sent to a boarding school in the lovely Mahabaleshwar hill scapes against his wishes.

In comes Mr. Nikumbh, the art teacher who also works at the school for special children. After a lot of research and observation, Nikumbh diagnoses that Ishaan suffers from Dyslexia. He tries to convince Ishaan's parents that Dyslexia is just a condition of mind, but his adamant dad refuses to believe Nikumbh. What follows is a dedicated tuition lessons which Nikumbh manages to chalk out for Ishaan and viola! the Ishaan makes excellent progress in his education surprising his teachers, Principal and team mates. Then Nikumbh organizes a painting competition which Ishaan wins hands-down. The movie ends with the school breaking for summer and Ishaan's parents thanking Nikumbh for something they could've accomplished had they even bothered to figure out in the 1st place.

This movie is packed to the hull with a good quantity of tear jerking moments and emotions. But this movie is a must watch as it brings out many finer aspects of child psychology which every parent must know. A must watch but not for the emotionally charged folks out there!